November 9, 2024
1:00 p.m.
Cardinal Stadium – Washington D.C.
 
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WILKES-BARRE - The Wilkes University football team returns to action after their bye week for a Landmark Conference clash with Catholic University in the nation's capital this Saturday. One win in their last two games, and the Colonels will clinch a second-consecutive berth in the Chesapeake Bowl Challenge.

Wilkes comes off of their bye week with a 5-3 overall record following a 48-21 loss to No. 7 Susquehanna University, with a 3-1 record in conference play.

Elijah Jules (Red Bank, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) continues to lead the potent Colonel run offense with 947 rushing yards on the season following his fifth consecutive 100+ yard performance against the River Hawks. The senior back also leads the conference in rush yards per game, averaging 118.4 yards, and is tied for the most rushing touchdowns with 12. As a unit, the Wilkes rush offense is one of the most productive in the Landmark, averaging 195.5 yards per game and 5.9 yards per carry, marks that are both second in the conference.

Senior quarterback Xavier Powell (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) compliments Jules with 387 yards on the ground, adding to his 1,619 passing yards to put him at 2,006 yards of total offense, the fourth most in the Landmark Conference.

Senior wideout Justin Moore (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) leads the team with 364 receiving yards on the season after a four catch, 100-yard game against Susquehanna. He is followed by fellow senior Devin Higgins (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley) with 346 yards and Jimmy Johnson (Fallston, MD/Fallston) with 241 yards. The quartet of Higgins, Johnson, Zane Grover (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg), and Janas Simms (York, PA/William Penn) all share the top scorer title with three touchdown catches each.

On defense, linebacker Tallen Murray (Vineland, NJ/Saint Joseph Academy) leads the team with 66 total tackles, falling to second in the conference behind Juniata College's Ethan Shank. He is followed by sophomore defensive back Rob Barbieri (Avoca, PA/Pittston Area) with 55 and defensive lineman Angel Ramos (Allentown, PA/Parkland) with 43. Defensive back Donell Mackey-Woodson (Hartford, CT/Southington) has been Wilkes' resident ball hawk with seven interceptions, tied for the most in the nation across all levels of college football.

Ramos leads the team and the conference with six sacks on the year, followed closely by Murray and Steele Hess (Allentown, PA/Whitehall) with three each. Ramos also leads the team in tackles for loss with 11.5, followed by Kellen Redmond (St. Petersburg, FL/Calvary Christian) with 8.5 and Hess with eight.

On special teams, punter Alex Orlando (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) is averaging a conference-best 43.46 yards per punt, with five punts over 50 yards and 13 inside the opponents' 20-yard line. Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) is 6-7 on field goals, and 34-34 on extra points. Rahmel Terry (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) leads the Colonel return game with 275 yards and one kick returned for a touchdown.

Catholic enter this game with a 4-4 overall record and a 2-2 record in Landmark play after a 42-24 win over Keystone College last weekend.

Graduate student Joey Gulbin leads the Cardinals at quarterback with 1,233 passing yards and 10 touchdowns with nine interceptions. John Whelan has also seen limited play under center with 381 yards and three touchdowns.

Malachi Hansen has been the top target for both quarterbacks, leading the team with 376 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Andrew Tabor leads the team in receiving touchdowns with four. On the ground, sophomore Daequan Harvin leads the team with 649 rushing yards and four touchdowns. The Cardinal offense has struggled this season, averaging 321 yards of total offense per game and only 23 touchdowns, marks that are both last in the conference.

On defense, linebacker Michael Hopkins leads the way with 59 tackles, followed closely by senior defensive back Mason Stillwell with 52. Carson Henry leads the team with 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Not far behind is defensive end Mason Holt with 6.5 TFLs and four sacks. Stillwell and Sean Finan both have four pass breakups and Tyler Donnelly leads the team with two interceptions.

In last year's matchup, the Cardinals narrowly defeated the Colonels 40-35.

Following this game, the Colonels return home for the final game of the season against Moravian University for Senior Day on Saturday, November 16. Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.